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Fri, Mar

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The process has begun to have the salary of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) technical director restored on a regular basis.
Lincoln Phillips had not been paid for five months after his TTFF contract ended, resulting in Football Federation special adviser Jack Warner and other officials pointing blame at Gary Hunt, the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs. Yesterday, however, the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT) issued a release which indicated that the process is being put in place to have the matter resolved.

SPORTT also sought to clarify a number of issues raised in an October 27 letter signed by TTFF general secretary Richard Groden in which it was stated that, from the outset, Phillips was hired as technical director by the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago on the recommendation of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation.

SPORTT totally refuted Groden's statement.

"Contrary to statements attributed to TTFF secretary Richard Groden, Lincoln Phillips was initially contracted by the TTFF and not the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago nor the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs for the period June 1, 2004 to May 31, 2007," SPORTT declared.

"A year into his contract with the TTFF, their management indicated that they could no longer pay Mr Phillips' salary and a request was made to the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago by the TTFF to cover the payment of Mr Phillips' salary for the balance of the contract period.

"The Sport Company obliged this request and additional financial disbursements were made to the TTFF to cover Mr Phillips' salary. Initially, payments were made directly to Mr Phillips and after three months, on the request of the TTFF, his payments were made through additional disbursements to the TTFF and the direct payments ceased."

In yesterday's release, SPORTT said in May 2007 the TTFF indicated that Phillips' contract was renewed for a period of one year from June 2, 2007 to June 2, 2008 and a request was made for the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago to disburse funding to cover the payment of his salary.

SPORTT reported that the request was met. Furthermore, the Sport Company said that by correspondence of September 30, 2008, the Sport Company, through its sport services manager, enquired of the status of Phillips' employment with the TTFF, since no new contract or request for funding had been forthcoming.

On October 3, the TTFF responded to this correspondence and indicated that Phillips was to be once again retained by the Football Federation for a period of one year from June 2, 2008-June 2, 2009.

On October 8, the Sport Company then requested a copy of Phillips' contract. A faxed copy was received by SPORTT on October 24. And now that the relevant document has been submitted, SPORTT said that all is in place to have Phillips' salary paid until June 2009.

"It should be noted that Mr Phillips' contract is with the TTFF and the Sport Company covers his salary payments though its disbursements to the TTFF for its development program," SPORTT declared. "Now that the TTFF has indicated in writing of its intention to retain Mr Phillips and has provided SPORTT with a copy of the contract outlining the financial terms of employment, the payment to Mr Phillips through the TTFF can proceed. This funding request is currently being processed by SPORTT."